Faculty

Julie Hatton founded her dance school in 1993. From one small dance class run on Saturdays called ‘Dance Express’ it has grown into a hugely successful performing arts school with over 60 classes in acting, singing, musical theatre and up to 15 styles of dance. Over the years she has also added new departments to the school such as the infant school, Scarborough Youth Theatre and in 2014 she launched Hatton's College that delivers Btec Level 2 and 3 qualifications in Performing Arts.

Julie was a professional dancer herself before starting her business, performing all over the world including a year’s contract in Korea.

Julie’s pupils are known not only for their high level of technical training but their work ethic and versatility. Many past pupils now have successful careers in the industry including commercial dancers at events such as the Brit Awards and XFactor, choreographers, dance school principal, performing on cruise ships, Bollywood choreographer/director.

CHOREOGRAPHER

Julie is well known in the area for her choreography, creating routines for not only the numerous shows and events she produces but also production companies and touring shows.

Credits include: Best Choreography Winner at Can You Dance, Tony Peers Productions Summer Season (Director), Tony Peers Productions Pantomimes, QDOS Pantomime

PRODUCER

• Christmas Carousel

• Monday Showtime

• The Producers

• Les Miserables

• Sweeny Todd

At the age of three Sophie began her training at Kirkham Henry Performing Arts Centre in Malton, taking part in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, drama, speech and drama and singing classes. Alongside this she also trained at the Yorkshire Ballet Scholarship Centre. Sophie performed in many competitions and amateur productions including: The Nutcracker (Clara); Cinderella (Summer Fairy); Coppélia (Prayer), Giselle (soloist in the Dance of the Wilis); Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Sleepy); Robin Hood (one of his merry men); Starlight Express (Nintendo); CATS (Rumpus Cat); FAME (Iris) and Oliver (Bet) to name a few.

After gaining places at vocational musical theatre schools such as Bird College and Urdang Academy, Sophie decided that her passion was in teaching and has recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) with a BA (Hons) Ballet Education; Licentiate of the RAD (LRAD) and Registered Teacher Status (RTS). She has recently become an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance (ARAD) after passing her Advanced 2 RAD ballet exam.

The RAD has provided Sophie with many opportunities such as: dancing to Strictly Come Dancing’s theme tune on the One Show; dancing in the Parade and Finale alongside Darcy Bussell in The Patrons Lunch celebrating the Queens 90th Birthday; dancing in a Taylor Swift flash mob on BBC1 Let’s Sing and Dance for Comic Relief. Alongside her studies Sophie taught at various dance schools across London, with most students achieving distinctions and a few with merits in their ballet exams. She recently became a certified teacher of Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT).

Sophie has enjoyed the past three years in London but pleased to be back up North and teaching at The Hatton School of Performing Arts.

Classes

I am teaching on a Tuesday and Thursday the BTEC Ballet and Contemporary units as well as: Grade 2 RAD Ballet; Grade 4 RAD Ballet; Intermediate Foundation RAD Ballet; Pointe and non-syllabus classes to name a few.

I am also joining in the Cabaret classes to maintain my versatility and Zumba classes for fitness and fun.

Within my ballet classes not only do I focus on syllabus work, but also incorporate: floor barre; body conditioning exercises; repertoire work and free enchaînements to provide the students with a well-rounded perspective on ballet.

I am excited to be involved in choreographing for the 25th Anniversary Show with the Little Mermaid ballet section.

Mel started as a pupil of Hattons when she was 15 years old and has been teaching for the last ten years.

Mel is head of Saturday classes which covers all of the mini movers dancers age from 18 months upwards.

Mel can also teach various styles including tap, modern jazz, street, cheerleading, acro and Zumba kids.

"Hatton's is the place to be if you want a career in the performing arts industry. Hatton's teaches you to be the best you can be and without the knowledge and understanding I have learnt from Julie I wouldn’t be where I am today!"

Alongside dancing Mel is a qualified level 3 early year’s educator at Madhatters Nursery.

Kirk trained at The Hatton School of Performing Arts for 9 years before going on to extend his training at Tiffany Theatre College for 3 years.

Kirk performed in Spillers pantomimes and understudied the ugly sister role. He then performed in several arenas around the UK with the Kukri Allstars. After this he toured with Never Forget the Musical. Before going to work on various cruise lines around the world he also performed on The Asian MTV Awards.

Kirk was also a Headliner act at Funny Girls in Blackpool.

Nicki studied level 3 extended diploma in sport and now teaches at Northstead School. She had always loved anything sport related and joined the Hattons team 2 years ago teaching gymnastics.

Stewart is the formost pioneer of Lyrical Contemporary Jazz in the UK, developing the genre from as early as 1979 to the present day.

He trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance, his dancing heritage originates with the Martha Graham technique, with the likes of Bob Cohen, William Luther and Jane Dudley as his teacher/mentors that have been his springboard from which he has developed his unique style and genre, consequently becoming one of our most acclaimed and sought after International Dancer, Teacher and Choreographer.

For many years Stewart has been constantly involved in a variety of top West End shows, including Wayne Sleeps' ‘Song & Dance’ as a soloist dancer.

He was guest choreographer for Wayne Sleeps dance company ‘Dash’, joint- choreographer on ‘The Wiz’ at the Hammersmith Lyric Theatre, and featured as a soloist dancer in the Johnny Depp version of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’.

Choreographing Pop promo’s for artists such as David Grant, Elton John and working exclusively with Kate Bush over the last 20 years as a dancer and a choreographic consultant have also been fitted in to an already busy schedule.

He also had his own dance series on Channel 4, along with Claude-Paul Henry, called ‘Streets Ahead’, and toured Europe along with Anthony Van Laast and Claude-Paul with their Dance Company called ‘Souls in Motion’ and took his own concept musical ‘Dancing and Singing the Blues’ on the same European circuit directing as well as choreographing the show.

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As an artist Stewart is a unique innovator, whose work is a combination of old and new school, along with a spiritual and artistic richness which makes his work relevant, different and essential not only to the industry but also a great basis for anyone who works with him to start or enhance their creative and technical development as performers in their own right. 

Andrea was an original member of staff when we opened The Dance Warehouse in 1993, teaching drama whilst studying for her Theatre Studies and English degree, and has taught drama for 25 years, winning several awards for her directing.

Andrea spent 6 years in London working at the renowned Young Vic Theatre, before returning to Scarborough and re-joining our team.

In addition to being responsible for all our drama classes, Andrea also teaches on our BTEC course and for Scarborough Youth Theatre.

Andrea also directs our very successful annual pantomimes and musicals.

Janna Leith studied music at the University of Leeds as a classical soprano. She sang with the National Youth Choir of Great Britain for 6 years ending with a 7 week world tour. Janna went on to sing professionally with the National Chamber Choir of Ireland and features as a soloist on the choir's album 'One Day Fine'.

Since returning to Scarborough she has trained with pop vocal specialist Kim Chandler.

Janna is an experienced performer in opera, classical repertoire, pop and musical theatre.

She has 15 years teaching experience that began at The Hatton School of Performing Arts and is still based here as well as teaching in local schools.

Sian joined Hatton’s back in 2007 when she was 15 shortly after Julie had hosted an after school club at her school and invited certain students to perform a piece in the annual school show.

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Sian has performed in and taken various different classes, shows, gigs and traction rallies during her time at Hatton's.

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She left to attend the University of Sunderland in order to study Travel and Tourism. After only 4 months of her course she realised her passion for dance and returned to dancing full time, participating in as many classes as possible.

By the age of 23 she got her first professional job as a production dancer with Qdos Entertainment on the Celebrity Millennium. She came back to Hatton’s carrying on her passion for dance as a student and a senior teacher.

“Being a member of Hatton’s didn’t just teach me to dance but taught me organisational, social and basic life skills that I will be forever grateful for. There’s no other dance school I’d rather by part of. We’re not just a dance school, we are a family.”

Janet went to Scarborough Technical College 1981-1983 to study a BTEC in art and design.

After this she then went onto managing White Gates Hotel from 1984-1989. Then in 1994 Janet studied sign writing for a year and gained a qualification in City and Guilds Advanced.

Janet has always made costumes for dancers and always enjoyed sewing and became self-employed in 2008 where she continued her love for sewing by creating costumes for various schools and theatres around the country.

Mel Halliday is our Saturday receptionist responsible for relieving you of all your hard earned cash (but just on a Saturday).

She will greet you with a smile and answer all your ridiculous questions such as “how should he/she have their hair” and “what are they wearing on their feet”. She promises to never be sarcastic and always to listen to your woes and can give great insight into the wonderful world of panto as world full time at Qdos Entertainment as a Marketing & Production Assistant.

Lynsey started dancing at the age of 3 then moved to The Dance warehouse at the age of 11 before taking her teachers exam at 17 and has continued to teach for Julie at HSOPA.

She teaches street and show-work and Hatton’s gymnastics .

Naomi trained in classical ballet from a young age and continued to study professional ballet in Oban with the Scottish National Ballet West Company.

Naomi has toured across Britain and China in ballets such as Swan Lake and Romeo & Juliet.

After performing in contemporary collaborations with Dance Consortium, Naomi then completed her BA Honours Degree in contemporary dance at Hull University.

She is passionate about exploring choreographic ideas with her current classes and looks forward to seeing their progression.